The Travails of the Astounding!

Ted: We're both stumbling around together in this unformed world, whose rules and objectives are largely unknown, seemingly indecipherable or even possibly nonexistent, always on the verge of being killed by forces that we don't understand.
Allegra: That sounds like my game, all right.
Ted: That sounds like a game that's not gonna be easy to market.
Allegra: But it's a game everybody's already playing.


eXistenZ is a wild thrill ride through a virtual game world of the same name. It challenges it's characters perceptions of reality and deftly enchants the viewer in the process. Unflinching, relentless, and casted to perfection, eXistenZ delves deep into the identity dilemma of life in an alternate universe with far more sophistication and wit than the Matrix trilogy could ever hope to muster. It is to Writer/Director David Cronenbergs credit, that the film accomplishes this without getting bogged down in the all too familiar miasma of thematic cliche and bombastic special effects. It depends more on the limitless inventions of the spiraling plot and the string of engaging characters that shine like stars (there are no small roles here). Undeniably creepy, eXistenZ is one of those rare film experiences that really sticks and will have you in its clutches long after the credits have rolled.
5 out of 5 Stars!